


From Rumour to Truth

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-25
Updated: 2006-03-25
Packaged: 2019-02-02 16:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12730443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Daniel tries to make sense of what's happened.





	From Rumour to Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Daniel turned on the stairs leading into the restaurant and stared at Jack. "Jack, are you high?!" 

He probably could have opened the conversation a little better than that.

He couldn't stand this. Daniel didn't know what the hell Jack was doing, but he wasn't sure he would survive it.

Jack blinked offensively. "What?"

Daniel sighed and shook his head. "It seems to have completely escaped your notice that you have just 'outted' yourself to half the SGC!" 

Jack looked startled. "I was never IN Dannyboy," he answered. "What are you babbling about?"

What was he on about? Daniel had spent the past two years in love with Jack and now he was having to deal with. . .Oh, this wasn't going to be good.

Daniel took a deep breath and shook his head. "Jack, you just kissed me in front of nearly everyone we work with. Don't ask, don't tell."

Jack swallowed hard; Daniel felt like he was about to faint. "So what's your point?"

Daniel shook his head. "Pay attention, Jack." He spoke slowly, as if he was afraid of losing Jack if he spoke any faster. "You KISSED me--another man--in front of members of the Air Force, who know us personally. General Hammond isn't going to be able to ignore that. And I'm sure someone will tell him."

That seemed to sink in. Jack shook his head. "It was a dare. I had to do it, you can't back down from a dare."

"It wasn't a dare." Daniel's voice was sharper than he would have liked. "Cassie said we were standing under the mistletoe. No one said 'I dare you'." He thought for a moment. Then again. . .

Jack shrugged. "It doesn't matter. According to the Doc, half the base already thinks we're together anyway."

Daniel smiled. He'd heard those rumours too. But there was a big difference between rumours and *this*. "They have proof now, Jack. Even if it really is unfounded. Because there really *isn't* anything going on."

Was it him, or did he sound disappointed when he said that?

Well, he was. It hurt like hell to have to deal with this. Because Jack obviously wasn't taking it seriously. Or he was just playing at it. . .either way, it wasn't helping Daniel's peace of mind. At least before, he hadn't had any kind of--information to go on. 

He did now.

But then, this was all acting under the assumption that Jack *had* just been kissing him in response to the "dare", and not simply because he'd just wanted an excuse. Daniel had noticed the way Jack had stared at him afterwards. He'd felt Jack's body tense and then begin to lean in during the kiss. 

So maybe Jack had responded to something deeper than the dare. Daniel hadn't even begun to minor in psychology, so he was taking a pretty big jump here, but. . .maybe his subconscious was acting out something his conscious mind couldn't deal with?

Or maybe Jack was just honestly responding to what everyone was telling them. 

His head was starting to hurt.

"Danny?" Jack's voice was very quiet.

"What, Jack?" Yep, definitely starting to pound now.

Jack cleared his throat and turned to look at Daniel square on. "I think, that. . ."

"What?" Daniel asked. Oh, he really hated holidays.

Jack blinked at him and stopped. Daniel sighed and tried again, "What do you want?"

* * *

Well, that was a good question. Leave it to Daniel to just come out and ask him that. No frills. Yep, that was Danny.

So, what *did* he want?

Well, up until a few hours ago, Jack had been pretty sure about what he wanted. No Goa'uld, his team to win the NHL playoffs, a new telescope for his observation platform. . .the stuff he wanted every year.

But now, he wasn't so sure. 

Jack was beginning to wonder how it was that in a few short hours, everything he thought he'd known about himself had been completely turned on it's head.

He couldn't possibly be attracted to Daniel.

A mocking voice in the back of his mind disagreed. Of course he was, most of the base was. Not that Daniel noticed. Oh, no. Not Daniel. He just happily trotted--well, walked, Daniel *didn't* trot, thank God, Jack would have had to shoot him--down the hallways as if the drooling of the people he passed was an everyday occurrence.

The fact of the matter was, Jack *was* attracted to Daniel. He also loved Daniel dearly. So, what?

The object of his affection was staring at him as if he were some great puzzle that needed to be solved. "What, Jack?" Daniel's voice broke on his name.

"Danny, I--I'm--" he faltered. 

Daniel looked shit-scared. 

Well, why should he be nervous? It wasn't like his entire life had just spun out of control.

* * *

Daniel stared in absolute wonder at Jack. He felt like he was going to be sick. He wanted to go back into the restaurant. He wondered if Jack would let him pass. This had been a big mistake.

"Danny, I love you."

Huh?

Daniel shook his head to clear the fluff from his ears. "Um, sorry? Can you repeat that?"

Jack made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded surprisingly like a sob. "I love you."

"Love me?" Daniel was shocked at the callousness of his own voice.

"Yes." Jack looked frightened.

"Love me as in. . ."

"No," Jack shook his head. "As in, I love you. Being in love with someone for me is something that takes being with them intimately for quite a long time."

"Really?" That wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear. But, Jack was admitting to. . .

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

* * *

The silence following Daniel's comment was stifling. Jack shifted impatiently from one foot to another, waiting impatiently for Daniel to respond with something other than incredulity at his epiphany. Hell, at this point, he'd take any response. He could even live with a "go to Hell".

Well, maybe not.

"You're not saying anything, Danny," Jack reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"What do you want me to say, Jack?" Daniel closed the gap between them until he was standing directly in front of Jack. "I don't know what you want. Tell me what you want."

Jack shook his head. "I don't know." He laughed at himself. "Don't you get it? That's all I have!" Jack was suddenly uncomfortable with the lack of space between them. He stepped back.

"It's not enough, Jack," Daniel shook his head. "I can't make an emotional leap on a 'maybe'." He smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You do understand, don't you, Jack?" 

Daniel was once again standing directly in front of him. "Maybe you might eventually--possibly--feel the same way about me that I feel about you." He smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile. "And I got there without sex, Jack."

Huh? Jack's mouth opened and then closed. Had Daniel just said what Jack thought he'd said? Because what he thought was. . .

Well, shit.

* * *

Daniel stepped out of Jack's space and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for that to sink in to Jack. 

The expression on Jack's face was priceless, even if Daniel'd had to bare his deepest emotion in order to get it from him.

Now what?

Daniel shook his head and smiled again. "See, Jack?" 

Jack stared at him. 

Daniel sighed. "We've never been on the same page, and I--"

"We can try," Jack interrupted.

"What?" Daniel looked startled.

"We can try," Jack repeated. 

Daniel blinked offensively. "How?"

"Let's try dating," Jack answered. 

"As in--"

"No," Jack interrupted again. "Just dating. Like, you know, going out to movies and dinner. Museums." He said the last with a slight twinge of pain. "Get used to seeing each other in this light. We can see how we get on from there."

Daniel stared at him. "We can't date, Jack. What about the SGC? We still have to clean up that mess. We can't very well be seen walking around town holding hands and such."

Jack shook his head. "We don't have to do it here. What about Denver?" He thought about it again. "Look. We can keep some space from each other at work. Besides, most of the people on base already think we're together. If they've thought it this long. . ." he trailed off as he thought about the people they worked with.

"Keep space from each other at work," Daniel answered. "Give them the impression that we've 'broken up'?" he smiled. "I don't think--"

"Of course you do," Jack answered. "That's your problem. You think too damned much."

Daniel smiled. "Well, no one--" but he stopped. That wasn't fair. Jack was much smarter than he acted most of the time. 

He took a deep breath. "Okay," he answered. "Let's clean up the mess yo--we've made in there. And go from there. What are you doing New Year's Eve?"

Jack smiled. "I'm assuming I'm going to Denver?"

"Good," Daniel nodded.

"Now what?" Jack looked around them.

Daniel took a deep breath. "Let me go in first. I'm gonna get my stuff, say apologies to everyone and leave. Wait about ten minutes and then you do the same. Hopefully--"

"They'll assume we had a fight and 'broke up'," Jack answered. 

Daniel smiled and nodded. "That's what I'm thinking. I mean, if they're so used to us being so--together all the time, maybe they'll think that something's gone wrong. . ." 

"What about Carter and Teal'c ?" Jack interrupted. "And the Doc. We can't lie to them. Not about something like this."

Daniel shook his head, "You're getting ahead of yourself, Jack. We don't even know if we're going to *like* each other." He smiled. "Let's just get through tonight. Okay? Then, we'll worry about everything else."

Jack nodded, "Right."

"Okay," Daniel started back to the door. "Remember, wait ten minutes, then leave. Politely, if you can. I'll meet you at your house." 

Right.

Jack nodded again. "Gotcha."

Daniel smiled and disappeared through the door. 

Jack took a deep breath and let it out through his nose.

He looked down at his watch, waiting impatiently for ten minutes to pass.

Waiting for the rest of his life to start.

Finis


End file.
